Snap fastener assembly tool with penetrable sleeve



A. DRITZ Oct. 28, 1952 Fug k1 Jan. 12. 1950 IN V EN TOR. A E THUB 02/7 Z1477OB/VEYS Patented Oct. 28, 1952 SNAP FASTENERASSEMBLY TQ-QL WITH.

' PENETRABLE SLEEVE Arthur Dritz, Brooklyn, N. n, assig-nor tsioh Dritz&:Sons,.New York, N; Y.,.a partnership Application January 12, 1950,Serial No, 138,160.

1- Claim. 1 The: present invention relates to a simple tool particularlyadapted f'oruse in the assembly of conventional snap-fasteners to oneanother and to the fabric with which they are used.

Snap fasteners of" many specific designs are available, commercially,and'while, the tool'of the present invention is here disclosed withrespect to one particular style of snap fastener, it will be apparent.that it can easily, be modified for use with snap fasteners having,different size, shape and-isurfaceconfiguration merely by changing thesi'zc,, shape or surface configuration of the tool accordingly.

Snap fasteners/are. composed. of. two mutually cooperabl'e' parts,eachoffwhich is adapted to be fastenedto av piece. of fabricvand to bereleasably securabl'e. to the other. For purposes of convenience thesetwo. snap fastener parts will herei'nafter be designated male and femaleto correspond; with. the. terminology commonly emplayed with the. mostprevalent style of snap fasteners. Itisconventional that each of theseparts belcomposed. of two elements, one on one side of the fabricv andone on the other, these two.;elements beingsecurable to one another in a(C1. ESQ-20) substantially, non-separable manner so that the mal'eandifemale snap fastener parts may be more or less permanentlysecured tothe fabric in any appropriate position. For, purposes. ofconvenience-these two elements will hereinafter be denominated"topelement and bottom element, the top" element generally being the onedirected t'owardltheother snapfastener part and the bottom element beingpositioned on the opposite side of the fabric from the top element.

The snap fastener assembly toolof the present invention constitutes. aunitary structure which may be used to facilitate the: variousoperations necessary for: securing the-elements'of'both male and femalesnap fastener parts to one another and to "the fabric. Thus the tool isusable either in the factory in the course of quantity manufacturingor'at home intheicourse-of home dressmaking' or repair, but it isdesigned primarily for use' at home, since in the factory so many of theindividual operations are performed daily that the useof special toolsfor each operation is economically practical; The'home dressmaker,however, cannot employautomatic machinery for this purpose, nor canshe-use a, multiplicity of tools from which a diiferent one must beselected for each operation. Not only is the-investment required inprocuring a series of toolsexcessively large; but-thedelayandiuncertainty involved in shifting from; one -t'ool; to anotherandselecting thepropertool is a prime draw-back; The well known lackofmechanicalskill on the part of? those who practice home dressmaking isan other important factor militating' against the a use of separatetools in thehome.

The toolo-f thepresent invention, here specifically illustrated in anumber of alternative em.--

hodi'ments', is characterized the fact that it can perform a variety ofoperations and hence H capable of being used in an eflicientmann'ereven-- by persons possessing a minimalamount of mechanical skill ormanipulative ability. The to'ol'is specially designedfor the assemblyofboth male and'fema'le fastener parts and for the securing of" thoseparts to the fabric withwhich they are to be associated. It iscontemplated that these tools; will be sold in a kit along with asupplyof snap fastener elements of a size and shape"corresp'onding, to thetool, the kit thus pre- I sentingiin as ihgle'p'apkage all of theequipment necessary.- to secure the. snap fasteners to g arments orother fabricarticles; The use of. snap fast ne s by'the hpm r sm k a nampered" by the inability on the part of the average hom'eidressmak rtperf m th n c ss y erations in' a" neat and efficient manner with" thetoo swhich t o e h ee m de a l b for that purpose; The present inventionwill go. far tbward'., hc easina th fr qu n y of e snap fasteners. byproviding a single tool which is capable. of'performing, all of the.operations involvedIin-snap fastener assembly by simplifyingandlcl'arrifyihg the .operations vto be performed;

a ndjbysensuring. that the operations, can be per iormedl without damageto or improper deformatlibn of'the snap fastener parts.

Toithe accomplishment. of the above objects andLsuch QtheI: objects asmay hereafter appear thepresentinvention.relates to the constructionOLasnapfastener assembly tool as defined-in the appehdedldaimand. asdescribed in the specifi'ation taken together with the accompanyingdrawings-g, which Eig 1 isan' exploded view of the elements; of

a conventional-femalesnapfastener;

flig. .Z-is an exploded view ot theelements of- .the conventionalgm-alesnap fastener;

Fig. 3 is an exploded View in cross-section showing one embodimentof'the presentzinvem. tiomas itwould be usedin the assembling of theelementst ai-female snap fastener;

- :4- is aview'similar toFig'. 3- but only parin cross-section andshowing the tool used in -theyassembling of the elements of a malesnap.-

fastener Fig. 5 is a bottom view on an enlarged scale of the tool ofFig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevational View partly in crosssection, of a tool similarto that of Fig. 3 but somewhat modified so as to facilitate thepenetration of a fabric sheet by the upstanding prongs of thebottomelements of a female snap fastenerpart.

is an elevational view of yet another Fig. '2 embodiment of the tool ofthe present invention;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the tool of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a top view of the tool of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the tool of Fig. '7 in use inthe same manner as the tool of Fig. 6; r

Fig. ll is an elevational view, partly in crosssection, showing anotherway in which the tool of Fig. 7 may be used;

i.-Fig..-l2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line l 2--I2 ofFig. 11 but with the fabric sheet omitted;

Fig: 13 is an elevational view showing another method of use of the toolof Fig. 7;

,. Fig. 1a is a cross-sectional View taken along the line Hihl of Fig.'13;

-Fig; 15 is an elevational view of a modified form of the tool of Fig.7;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but showingthe tool modified byhaving a resilient sleeve therearound;

Fig. l? is an elevational view of yet another embodiment ofthe presentinvention, the tool beingused in a manner similar to the tool of Fig.ll.

V In order to appreciate the capabilities and the constructionalfeatures vof the tool of the present invention, the steps necessary forsecuring the snap fastener elements to one another and to the fabricwill first'be outlined, it being understood that the fastener elementshere specifically described are merely typical, and that various, typesof fastener elements could be employed which might require slight designmodifications in the tool without departing from the present invention.

The female snap fastener part, disclosed in Fig. 1, comprises a topelement 2 and a bottom element ft, the bottom element being defined by aweb 6 of metal on" the inside of which a 'plurality ofv upstandingprongs 8 in the form of a ring are provided. The top element 2 isdefined 7 bye-n annular ring it of metal or the like having a resilientcentral opening [2 adapted to releasably engage the male snap fastenerpart, and by an intured rim Hl surrounding the ring it into which theupstanding prongs 8 of the bottom element '3 are adapted to be bentafter those prongs s have been passed through a fabric sheet fiat-theplace where the snap fastener part to be positioned. Thus in assemblingthe female snap fastener part to thefabric 16 two operations arenecessary, first the penetration of the fabric it by the prongs 8, andthen the pressing together of the top and bottom elements 2 and 4 sothatthe'prongs 3 are bent outwardly into the rim it; thus securing theelements together and to the fabric 16.

- The top element 53 of the male snap fastener is defined by a disc 20-of metal or the like the central portion ofwhichisprojected upwardly toform the button-like projection 22 which is adapted to be releasablyreceived within the opening 120i :th'e'top element 2 of the female snapfastener. The bottom element 24 of the male snap fastener is defined bya. disc 26 of metal or the like provided centrally with an upwardprojection 28 having an opening 30 therethrough, this projection 28being adapted to be passed through the fabric sheet 32, to be receivedinside the button-like projection 22 on the top element 48, and to bebent outwardly within that button-like projection 22 so as to secure theelements l8 and 24 together and to the fabric sheet 32. Thus, in theassembly of the male snap fastener element two steps are necessary,first the penetration of the fabric 32 by the projection 28 on thebottom element 25 and then the securing together of the top and bottomelements 18 and 24 by the deformation of the projection 28 inside theprojection .22.

Each of the above steps involve manipulative and operative techniquesthe difficulty of which varies with the type of fabric employed and thesize and rigidity or deformability of the snap fastener elementsthemselves. The design of the tool of the present invention is adaptedto'facilitate all of these operations. In the description of the varioustool embodiments hereinafter set forth in detail the samereference'numerals will be used forthose structural characteristicswhich are common to the various embodiments.

The tool illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is adapted solely for the assemblyof the top and bottom elements of both the male and female snap fastenerparts, but is not adapted to facilitate the penetration of the fabricsheets It or 3!! by the bottom elements t or 2 5. It comprises a body 34here shown as generally cylindrical in shape, one surface of that bodybeing provided with a depression 38 which issubstantially flat so as toconform in size and shape to the top elements 2 and. E8 of the femaleand male snap fastener parts respectively. For any given snap fastenersize these two elements 2 and [8 will be of approximately the same sizeand shape, and the tool will, of course, accommodate elements of snapfasteners of a smaller size within the depression 36, although withoutas much of a centering effect as if the elements are of a size exactlycorresponding to the particular tool. Preferably centrally located inthe depression 36 is theorifice 38 which is of a size and shape adaptedto receive the button-like projection 22 of the top element l8 of a malesnap fastener part. The body 34 is adapted to be driven in a directionperpendicular to the depression 36, and to that end it is provided witha substantially fiat'surface 40 opposite'and parallel to the depression36 against which pressure or impact may be directed, as by a press or ahammer.

r The useof the tool in the assembly of the female snap fastenerelements will in themain be apparent from an inspection of Figure 3.After the prongs 8 ofthe bottom element 4' of the female snap fastenerpart have penetrated ,fabric sheet it the top element 2 is placedthereover so that the tips of the prongs 8 are received between the bodyit and the bent-over rim I l. The tool is then placed on top of thisassembly so that the top element 2 is received inside the depression 36,the sides of the depression serving to center the tool on the topelement 2 and the bottom of the depression 36 engaging theupper surfaceof element 2. The tool isthen forced downwardly, as by hitting the flatsurface 39 with a hammer or the like, thus causing the prong tips 8 tobe bent outwardly into the rim I l and secure the top element 2 to thebottom element ti and to the fabric sheet [5. .-The shape of thedepression 36 ensures against undesired deformation of tool ornot.

acre-59o the orifice ingthe tool on the snap fastener whether. the

snapfastener isof exactly the same size as the The disc-like body 24 ofthetop elementl't engages with the surface of the depression. 38. Whenthe tool isthen driven downwardly, as by the blow of the hammer on thefiat surface. 44!, the projection28 on. the bottom. element 24 isdeformed inside the button-like pro,- jection 22.. on the top elementl8, thus securing the top element ill to the bottom element 24 and tothe fabric sheet 32, While the configuration of the depression 36 andorifice 38 ensure against undesired deformation of thetop element l8 andparticularly of the button-like projection 22, which must fit properlywithin the. opening I-2 in the female snap fastener part if the fasteneris to operate properly.

The too1 of Fig. 6 functions in the same mannenasthe tool of Figs. 3 and4 in the assembly of the. various. snap. fastener elements. However, thedepressionffi is provided, surrounding. the orifice. 38; witharing-shapedorifice 42 of. a shape, width and" clepthsuch. that the-ringof prongs 8 on the botto-melement. .4. of the female snap. fastener partare simultaneously receivable therein. Because of this construction thetool of Fig. 6 can be employed to facilitate simultaneous penetra tionof the fabric sheet It by the prongs 8 by placin the bottom element 4under the fabric sheet If, positioning the tool .34 above the fabricsheet IS with its ring-shaped orifice 42 in registration with the ringof upstanding prongs 8, and then pressing the tool 34 downwardly,preferably manually, the prongs 8 moving into the orifice 42 and thefabric l6 being pushed down so that it is penetrated by the prongs 8. Inthis operation pressure is exerted by the tool 34 immediately in-' sideand immediately outside of the ring of prongs 8, so that penetration isachieved in a neat and positive manner. It will be noted that, tocomplete the assembly of the female snap fastener part, the tool 34 needbe lifted only enough to permit the top element 2 to be placed inposition and then may be brought down on top of the element 2 withoutany change in orientation.

The tool of Figs. 7 through 14 represent a modification which issomewhat easier to manipulate and is capable of performing additionalfunctions. Here the tool is defined by a head 44 and an elongated upwardprojection 46 therefrom, that projection 46 defining a narrow handle bymeans of which the too-l may be manipulated. The bottom surface of thehead 44 is provided with the depression 36, the orifice 38 and thering-shaped orifice 42. jecting handle 46 has a cross-sectional size andshape such that it can fit inside the rin of upstanding prongs 8 in thebottom element 4 of the female snap fastener part. Thus, as illustratedin Figs. 13 and 14, the upwardly projecting handle 46 can be employed tofacilialte penetration of the fabric sheet [6 by placing the fabricsheet [6 above the bottom element 4, placing the tool above the fabricsheet l6 so that the handle pro- The upwardly projection 46 is disposedabove but'ine'ide the ring ofprongs 8, and then-pressi'ng downwardlywith the tool as-s-hown in'Figs. 13 and-14; thusfirmly forcingtha-tportion of the fabric 'sheet lfi disposed inside the prong ring -8-downwardly. If this doesnot cause proper-penetration of. the sheet I6 bythe prongs 8, thepoItion-of; the fabric sheet is just outside the ringcan be pressed down by the fingers. e i Since the tool is also providedwith the r-- shapedorifice 42, it maybe employed to-fa'cilita 'e'penetrationof' the fabric sheet- I 6 by the prongs 8 inthe mannerillustrated in'Fi'g. 10, which isbasically similar to the operationdisclosed in Fi 6. This embodiment of thetool'is 'usecl for asSemblyofthe top and bottom elements in the same manner as the tool of-Figs; 3and 4'.

It sometimes occurs, because of. special'stiif-' ness of the fabricsheet It, as whenthatsheet is composed-of leather, that neither of theabove described means for facilitating penetration. of: that sheet to bythe prongs =8 wil1 be effective,, it being necessary instead thateach'prong".beiinv and shape adapted to freely receive an individualvupstanding prong 8 therein; The. use. of this aperture isillustratedinl'figs. 11. and 12.. The fabric sheet If is placed abovethe bottomelement 4. and the tool is; held with' the handle pro.-jection 46 directed downwardly and: with the aperture 48 in registrationwith a-given oneiof. the prongs 8. wardly, causing that prong 8 to enterinto the aperture 48, the surface so surrounding the aperture 48 forcingthe fabric sheet [6 down on all sides of the prong 8, the handle 46passing between the prongs 8' adjacent to the prong 8 which is receivedwith the aperture 48. This operation is repeated for each of the prongs.It has been found that the use of the aperture 48 is the most practicalway of securing the bottom element 4 to a sheet of leather or the like.

The tool of Fig. 7 can therefore be used either to cause the prongs 8 topenetrate the fabric sheet l6 one by one, as in Figs. 11 and 12, orsimultaneously as in Figs. 10, 13 and 14, and a choice of two methods ofsimultaneous penetration is presented.

The tool of Fig. 15 is similar to that of Figs. 7 through 14 except thatit does not have the ringshaped orifice 42. Thus in the tool of Fig. 15the operation illustrated in Fig. 10 cannot be performed.

One drawback to the penetration operations both of Figs. 10 and 13 isthat no downward pressure is applied to the fabric sheet 16 between theindividual prongs 8. In order to eliminate this disadvantage the handleprojection 46 may be surrounded by a sleeve 50 of penetrable resilientmaterial such as rubber (see Fig. 16), the end surface 52 of that sleeveterminating short of the end surface 40 of the projection 46 by adistance less than the height of the'prongs 8. Thus, when an operationsimilar to that of Figs. 13 and 14 is performed, the upwardly projectingtips of the prongs 8 will penetrate the end surface 52 of the sleeve 50,the unpenetrated portions of that surface passing between the prongs 8and forcing the fabric down therebetween. The rubber sleeve 50 alsoconstitutes a convenient non-slip grip for manipulating the tool.

The tool is then pushed downit will be noted that the tool of Fig. 6 is,like the tool of Fig. 7, provided with an aperture 48 in the flatsurface 46 thereof, so that the former can also be used as illustratedin Fig. 11.

The tool of Fig. 17 is similar to that of Fig. 6 except that it isprovided, at its top surface, with an upward projection 45 having anaperture 48 therein, the projection 46 being too short to serve as ahandle for the tool but being usable in the manner illustrated inFig.13, and the aperture 48 being usable as illustrated in Fig. ll.

The use of the various tools here disclosed has been fully explainedabove. It will be apparent that the tools in their various illustratedembodiments are capable of various uses in conjunction with the assemblyof snap fastener parts and the securing of those parts to fabric sheets,the various constructions disclosed each having different advantages andcapabilities when compared with the others. All, however, arecharacterized by a simplicity of construction and by a facility of usewhich emphasizes their desirability. A single tool can be employed forall of the operations necessary in the assembly of snap fasteners andmay in some cases be used in different manners to obtain the same endresult so as to accommodate manipulation to theparticular type of fabricto which the snap fasteners are to be secured.

It will be further apparent that many variations may be made in thesize, shape and configuration of the tools, and in the existence,arrangement and orientation of the various operative depressions,orifices and apertures, Without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A snap fastener assembly tool comprising a head with a narrower handleextending from one face of said head, another face of said head having adepressed shaped surface of a given outer configuration for acting onand supporting the top elements. of male and female snap fasteners ofcorresponding outer configuration, the outer configuration of saidhandle at its free end being smaller in all directions than the outerconfiguration of said depressed surface, thus adapting it to fit insidethe ring of upstanding prongs of a correspondingly sized bottom elementof a snap fastener, and a sleeve of penetrable resilient materialenveloping said handle and abuttable against said head at one end edgeand having an end edge terminating short of but close to the front endof said handle, the tips of said prongs thus penetrating said end edgeof said sleeve when said handle is fitted inside the ring of prongs.

ARTHUR DRI'IZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Gookin June '2',

